Brain Atrophy: When will it end?

The new car registrations came in the mail a couple months ago and promptly disappeared. So last week I had to go to the tag agency and get duplicates -- with two toddlers in tow. I brought snacks, beverages, books, and a few toy cars, because you know how anything government-related takes at least a year of waiting.

Lo and behold, there were only two people ahead of me when I arrived. I quickly asked one of the clerks what I needed for a duplicate registration before running out to the car to retrieve the snacks/toys. As I was hurrying out the door, an older lady kindly reminded me to take a number so I wouldn’t lose my place in line.

The boys were happily munching rice cakes and I was back inside reading a magazine when an older lady walked in and got in line without taking a number. Being the good Samaritan that I am, I stood up and tapped her on the shoulder, smiled, and reminded her to take a number.

She looked at me like I was insane. Then she said something in Spanish about how she already had a number -- and she was the one who had just told me that I had to take a number.

Then I said something in Spanish about wanting to melt into a pool of mortification.

* * *

We dared to venture to a playgroup the other morning. It was being held inside at a friend’s house so I figured it would be pretty easy to manage the dudes. It was. They played and I was able to - between removing crayons and Little Mermaid stickers from mouths - have snippets of conversation with some of the other Moms.

I learned that one baby there was nine months old and 26 pounds, which floored me. He weighs six pounds more than Jonah at 19 months! (and three pounds more than Benjamin!) Can you imagine if Benjamin and Jonah had weighed that much at 9 months?! I would’ve been forcing them to walk early!

And as I was sitting by the door putting on Benjamin‘s shoes to leave, the host’s two-and-half year-old daughter reminded me: “Don’t forget the other boy!”

Is my brain atrophy so pronounced that even a two-year-old thinks that I might leave one of my children behind?!

Aghhhh!